Salute and method of making same



1930- A. CIMOROSJ ,783,999

SALUTE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Jan. 18, 1929 WITNESSES JNVENTOR(S a m 22: 23., /0 01612140 Ctmorasz ATTORNEY.-

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Patented Dec. 9, 1930 A1 ALBERTO CIIVIOROSI, 0F ELKTON, MARYLAND SALUTEAND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Application filed January 18, 1929. Serial No.333,297.

The usual method of making salutes is to mix a quantity of the explosiveingredients in the required proportions, charge the containers with therequired quantity of the mixture, insert a fuse and seal the container.As the separate ingredients of the explosive charge are not explosive,mixing them as the first ste 3 in the manufacture involves aconsiderable amount of direct handling of the explosive mixture. Furtherthe salute as heretofore made, is merely a noise-making device.

Objects of my invention are, first, to provide an improved method ofmaking salutes;

Second, to provide a method of making salutes which obviates thenecessity of directly handling the explosive m1xture;

Third, to provide an improved salute;

Fourth, to provide a salute which, as 1t explodes, will produce adisplay of colored light, and

Fifth, to provide a salute which will be superior in its detonationqualities to known salutes.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a salute made in accordance with myinvention,

Figure 2 a central vertical section of the salute, and

Figure 3 a like section showing a mod1- tied form of container.

The construction of one form of the salute is clearly illustrated inFigures 1 and 2. This salute as shown is globular in shape, comprising acontainer in the nature ofa capsule or cup 3, whrch may be of thinpasteboard and which 1s closed by the cap 4 of the same material. 5indicates an explosive mixture confined within the capsule and whichcomprises a number of ingreclients each of which may be non-explosiveexcept in the mixture. Many well known,

substances are available for this purpose, among which are perchlorateof potash, powdered aluminum and sulphate of antimony;

neither of which is explosive by itself but which, when mixed together,form an explosive mixture. It will be understood that other explosivematerials may be used in the salute, but for convenience of manufacturea mixture of the above character has certain advantages which will laterappear.

*Within the capsule may be placed coloring matter, which may be in anysuitable form but for certain purposes I prefer that it should be in theform of a tablet or tablets one of which is designated in Figure 2, bythe numeral 6. These tablets may be composed of substances which eitherreflect the light of the explosion or which will burn with the lightdesired. The color will depend on the chemicals used.

The specific chemical or chemicals used depends on the effect to beproduced and may be varied to suit the taste. Numerous well knownsubstances are on the marketand need not be set forth here in detail.lVhile I prefer that the coloring matter should be in the form oftablets for certain purposes, it may be in the form of granules, powderor any other suitable form according to the substances used anddepending on the speed of burning thereof and other considerations thatmay arise.

The visible elfect of the explosion of a mixture of the above characterwill depend among other things upon the chemical used, and upon the formthereof; that is whether granular, powder, or tablets and in the lattercase whether one or a plurality of such tab lets are employed.

The use of a single tablet of burning chemicals will produce a column orstreak of colored fire, a granular colored material would tend toproduce a flash at the point of discharge and other effects may beproduced by varying the physical properties of the color ing substancesand by varying the nature of the compounds comprising thesame. V

, The capsule or cup with the explosive and coloring matter enclosedtherein is enclosed in a coating of comminuted material, such as woodflour or finely divided sawdust, confetti, a mixture thereof, or anyother suitable material held together by a binder of adhe sive as glueand the like. This coating may be applied so as to produce aglobularshape as represented inFigure 1 and designated by the numeral 1.i

The effect of this construction is to confine the gases formed by thecombustion of the materials within the capsule until a sufficientpressure has been developed to Violent-- ly disrupt the walls with aconsequent violence of detonation.

The final shape of the form of the salute as shown in Figures 1 and 2 isimportant not only from the point of superiority of construction butalso on account of the facility with which it may be manufactured.

The manufacture ofthis form of the salute is as follows:

The explosive, as stated above, maycousist of perchlorate of potash,powdered aluminum and sulphate of antimony, neither of which isexplosive by itself. Instead of inixingthese ingredients the initialstep in the manu facture and then charging the containers with theeiqplosive mixture, 1 place the in gredients in the cups orcapsule,preferably in layers. The cups being preferably of a size sufficient tohold a complete charge of the explosive and leave sufficient unfilledspace to permit the several ingredients to mingle freely when agitated.A .tablet of coloring matter is inserted and the cap placed 'Ofw ei' thecup; the'diameteiwof the cap beingsuch as to grip the wallof the cupwith sufficient friction to hold it against removal except by a directand intentional pull. v he loaded containers are then placed in atumbling de vice, which may be of the rotary type in which is carried aliquid adhesive.

The containers are then tumbled until they have acquired a coating ofadhesive. Finely commi nuted material, as a quantity of confetti,sawdust, a mixture thereof, or other suitable material is then placed inthe tumbler and the cups or capsules again tumbled u til they have acquied a substantial coating-cf comminuted material and preferably untilthey have acquired a substantially globular shape which will result froma continued tumbling thereof. The ball-like struc s are then dried, andmay be drilled to receive a fuse, the fuse being inserted and the salutei s complete.

In gure 3 I have shown the container as constructed of an ended tube 9adapted .to be closed attop and bottom by disks 10 which are held inplace by crimping .the ends of the tubes inward to form flanges 11. Qne

end of the tube is crimped and a disk inserted to serve as the bottom ofthe container, the

container charged before, a tablet-of .col-oring matter inserted, theother disk inserted, the end of the tube crimped thereover, and. thecontainer tumbled to mix the explosive ingredients.

WVhen the salute is exploded, the flash is accompanied by a pillar orcolumn of ill'uminated colored smoke, or by any other appearanceaccording to the condition of the coloring matter in the capsule asoutlined above, whereby the salute appeals to the eye as Well as to theear.

The salute may be manufactured with or without the coloring matter andmay otherwise be modified Within the scope of the appended claims.

I do not therefore w? sh to be limited in the ingredients; closing thecontainer; tumbling the container in an adhesive and a com-- minutedsubstance toform a coherent coat c ng enclosing; the container, dryingthe object thus produced andfinserting a fuse. I 2; A salute consistingof a closed container" carrying acharge of e'xplosivernaterial and acharge of coloring matter 'within the explosive charge, and provided wth a fuse.

In testimony whereof I have signed my ALBERTO CIMQROSL name to thisspecification.

